Conventionally, corded tools, such as electrical drills, rotary saws, garden tools etc., have been constrained in terms of portability as they are reliant upon a nearby power source, e.g., an AC power plug or wall socket. However, due in part to the development of more powerful rechargeable batteries, such as those with a lithium-ion chemistry, battery-powered counterparts to such tools have gained popularity in recent years. Likewise, the use and popularity of battery-powered garden tools such as hedgers, lawn mowers, and leaf blowers has also grown.
Compared to their corded counterparts, battery-powered garden tools do not require the use of oftentimes long and cumbersome extension cords for connecting to a power source. However, users of battery-powered garden tools, e.g., landscapers, must endure the inconvenience of a limited power source, as well as limited use per charge and having to recharge such battery-powered garden tools. Additional disadvantages include the inability to use a battery-powered garden tool while the battery is charging and the dollar cost associated with the battery and the battery charger. Moreover, there is added fatigue associated with having to handle the added weight of a battery pack in a battery-powered tool.
One way in which the above-mentioned disadvantages can be minimized is by utilizing a single, relatively large battery that is packaged or configured for use as a backpack or waist-pack to power the tool. With this approach, corded (AC powered) devices and battery-powered devices can be powered for increased periods to time (due to the greater capacity of larger batteries), while the “direct” weight of the battery-powered device is reduced due to removal of the original/integrated battery. In most cases, the human fatigue factor associated with carrying a backpack or waist-pack is significantly less when compared to supporting the mass of a tool and the included battery pack with, e.g., extended arms. For devices such as hedge trimmers, drills, and power saws (both rotary and chain), transferring mass to a backpack or waist-pack makes handling and manipulating the tool much easier.